Guilt
by Flirtatious Flamingo
Summary: Trunks and Goten have always tormented the school loser, Hotaru Tomoe. But one day things went a little too far...*one-shot* *DARK*


(A/N: Yeah, there's going to be a bit of OOC, and a WHOLE lot of darkness....yeah....and _please_ don't read this unless you have an open mind. This is around Pre-GT for Dragonball, and Sailor Moon S for, well, Sailor Moon...that's about it...Oh yeah, and this is in Goten's POV, just so you know....)

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~In memory of Vixen and Elizabeth~

We were only kids back then....we didn't know....Trunks and I were just having fun....

Maybe I should blame it on our moms, they're the ones who shipped us off to Hell, aka Mugen School.

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* "It's a good school Goten, it'll improve your structure." * What the Hell was wrong with my structure? I....guess that's not really the point. Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, Bulma and my mother must share a mind-link, seeing as Trunks shared the same fate as me.

I suppose Mugen wasn't as terrible as I make it out to be, we were popular, we fit in well. Hell, we're Saiyans, we fit in well anywhere. Trunks with the sports, me with the *ahem* ladies. Yeah, we ruled the place.

And then there was Hotaru...

Hotaru Tomoe, the Headmaster's daughter. Good God she was creepy. All-out gothic, completely dressed in black everyday. Even when it was in the summer, and it was so hot that even a freezer couldn't keep ice cream from melting, she would still wear these long sleeves and tights. Like she was trying to hide something....

She never spoke to anyone, unless she needed to, and even then she would speak so softly that you couldn't hear her. I doubt that she got out much, her skin was as pale as a ghost's, like she had never seen the sun before. And those eyes....God! She looked like she was possessed! Oh yes, she was definitely creepy.

I don't think she had any friends, she always ate lunch all by herself; although sometimes I would see her walking home with this pink-haired third grader.

She was picked on alot, but I think I can honestly say that no one tortured her more than my best friend. An outstretched leg in the hall to trip her, thumbtacks, whoopee cushions, and other assorted goodies left on the chair of her desk, sacks of dog shit left in her locker; the works. 

I suppose we could blame his behavior on his father, saying that Trunks had picked up his traits of cold-heartedness. Okay, I'll admit, I pulled a few pranks on her like everyone else. Join the crowd, ne? But it was only the little things, you know, the 'kick me' signs, the stealing her clothes in gym, and so on, and so on...

But one day, I think...Trunks took it a little too far...

I remember. Trunks had been tugging on those long-sleeves of hers, he kept asking if he could see what was underneath, what she was hiding. I remember. He kept pulling and tugging, and she kept on yelling at him to stop. He was just teasing her that day, I think. Some of those other jackasses he made friends with had dared him to "rip 'em off and see what's inside!" So....he did, but I don't think it was what any of us were expecting....

Metal wires and cords were strung all up and down her upper and forearm. She was a cyborg, part of her eccentric father's creations.

Everyone saw.

Everyone pointed.

Even some people laughed while some looked like they were going to throw up.

She shed a tear that day, the first time I ever saw her as a person instead of a monster as she ran sobbing down the hallways of Mugen School.

I think that's what made her snap.

I think that was what drove her to her limit.

I think that was what made her slit her wrists.

It was in all of the newspapers and tabloids as well as four out of five news channels. I can even remember the head lines:

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GENIUS' DAUGHTER COMMITS SUICIDE

I remember. They aired her suicide note as well.

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I suppose...this is goodbye. But I would like to say a few things first before I go. Chibiusa, I thank you. You gave me friendship when no one else even dared to look at me, but never the less, friendship alone wasn't enough.

Kaori, I must say:

I hate your fucking guts.

You kept trying to take the place of my mother. Hate to break it to you, but you're not. Not even close. And although you may try, you'll never be able to nuzzle in on my papa, he knows better.

Which leads me to this:

Dear Papa,

Although you may have had good intentions at the time, you turned me into a monster. Your rebuilding me with machinery pieces may have 'saved my life,' but it hasn't been a life worth living. I don't know what's happened to you, but you've changed. All you talk about are these projects of yours, these "damions." Papa, that's why the others make fun of me, I'm not normal and you know it. It's because of you! You turned me into this IT with this new body! See Papa, I didn't kill myself.

You killed my soul a long time ago.

I went to her funeral, there weren't very many people there, just mostly co-workers of Professor Tomoe. I guess you have to actually know and care about a person to show up at their funeral; not many people knew or cared about Hotaru. 

I still feel guilty to this day...maybe I could have done something...._should_ have done something....maybe things wouldn't have turned out the way they did....

We were only kids back then....we didn't know.....

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~Owari~

(A/N: Yes, depressing as Hell, I know. I wrote this in an hour at my friend's funeral. How'd she die? Think about it.... I promise, I'll have chap. 6 of AAC out sometime today, I just felt like typing this out first to get some things off of my chest. Sorry to waste your time. ~Flirtatious Flamingo~)

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"....but words will never hurt me...."

Yeah, right, and I'm the Easter Bunny....


End file.
